Health & Safety Report 2016

3. Health It is important to manage the health and well-being of the offshore workforce effectively, particularly given the remoteness of the worksite. It is Oil & Gas UK’s policy that all persons working offshore are examined regularly by a medical professional and deemed medically fit before travelling offshore. A suite of occupational health-related legislation also applies offshore. This section explores health-related activities and relevant offshore data. 3.1 Occupational Health and Hygiene The number of reported incidents of ill health offshore has fluctuated over the years. There were only 47 incidents of ill health reported between 2013 and 2015. The largest number (40 per cent) were due to viral or bacterial conditions such as chickenpox or mumps, while musculoskeletal (e.g. hand-arm vibration) and occupational skin conditions make up the remaining incidents. Cardiovascular disease (heart attacks and, increasingly, strokes) continues to be the leading cause for medical emergencies on offshore installations. Oil & Gas UK’s Occupational Health and Hygiene Technical Group works to raise the profile of health and hygiene related issues offshore and shares learnings and good practice in managing them. The group also provides a platform for industry engagement with the regulators and supports regulatory compliance to improve occupational health management. To ensure consistent quality in the delivery of healthcare offshore, the group has proposed developing an industry training and competence standard for offshore medic competency assurance. It is collaborating with OPITO – the Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organisation – to create such a standard.